


To the Ends of the Earth... and Beyond

by FyrebloodKit



Category: Smallville
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Groundhog Day, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 09:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10918809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FyrebloodKit/pseuds/FyrebloodKit
Summary: Wintry groundhog’s day meets a little vacation… Among the Stars?





	To the Ends of the Earth... and Beyond

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tasabian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasabian/gifts).



> A Request: Clark or Lex gets stuck in a time loop. Clark and Lex team up to rescue a third character. Clark and Lex trapped in a runaway spaceship.
> 
> This was originally posted for the Clexmas 2015 gift exchanged.

It’s always the same, I wake, I go downstairs and I see my father with a grim look on his face, I leave and then I meet up with Him for a couple hours only to suddenly be enveloped in light and next thing I know I’m on a spaceship with him staring at me with fear and confusion the same as I feel. We both hear some weird speech before some being hits a button and everything turns to black before I wake once more in my bed, with my father downstairs with the exact same grim look on his face...

*+*+*+*+*+*+*

“Clark. We’ve done this, how many times now?” I hear him before I see him at tiny park here at Smallville. I absently nod, looking up at the sky. Even now I can’t see the ship, my back still towards Lex. 

“Still don’t know why it’s the same day though, makes me think of those stories about the three nephews of Donald Duck. Making a wish on Christmas day only for it to happen over and over for them and only they remember it every single time.” I chuckle as I remember watching the Disney story compilation for Christmas when I was growing up. Turning to look at Lex, I see his puzzlement for a moment, before his face lights up in the early winter day’s sunlight.

“Hewy, Dewy, and Lewy. Right? I think that was from Twice upon a Christmas or was it from Once?” I shrug and shake my head, not remembering that well, only to hear his soft chuckle. “Clark, when was the last time you watched either movie? Last year?” he playfully mocked, his crooked smile taking any sting of his words away like a wintry breeze blows the last few Fall leaves from their branchy homes.

“Please… it was the year before last. We couldn’t get a copy of them last year.” I fake a sulking pout just to make him laugh harder… Damn, when did I yearn for his laugh and smile that it’s even more important than even breakfast? I feel like I could actually fly every time he smiles and laughs so openly.

“So, any idea why we’re targeted each and every time we’ve been through this? We move to other places only for them to still find us and then… Darkness.” He sips his coffee, the smell reaching my nose now that the wind changed, peppermint, I wonder if he would taste more of the peppermint or the coffee? “…Clark? Hey Clark, did you wander when I blinked or something?” I cough and look away to hide the blush on my face and sigh. I know he knows my secret, but I can’t shake off what Dad said. 

“Nah, just, wondering if, maybe we’re being targeted for… how good-looking we are?” I grimace by how reaching that is, even to my ears. It was even worse than my usual corny lines. I peek over my shoulder to see him actually thinking about my words, so predictable the way he takes a specific stance while his face looks like he’s about to think of the next strategic movement for a battle, or an orchestra, his father primed him for battle, but he moves like a dancer to music. Fluid and graceful, yet still poised to strike if he must. So often now that he must. I feel my lips curve down into a frown as I recall each and every time he tried to reach out, only for him to be swatted, like some child that that reaches for that fresh homemade chocolate cookie that was meant for guests, only to feel that sting on his hand and scolded for even bothering.

“Well, Maybe. If that is the case, they have excellent taste.” He looks at me with that look, I still don’t quite understand it, but I feel like I should either hide or welcome it fully. I blink and focus hard on not blushing yet again. I reach down to pick up some of the white snow and lightly shape it into a snowball before tossing it as lightly as I could, still nailing a leaf as it soars… only to land on Lex’s car, my eyes widening in horror as I look at Lex, my shoulders already shrugging over my ears, to hide my embarrassment. “Nice shot there Clark. If you threw that just a little harder I think you might have gotten Lana’s car instead.” His faint snickering helping me relax. 

“I, wasn’t really aiming, sorry. Anyways, I can see why they would abduct you, but, I’m just a farm-boy.” His arched brow was enough to make me grimace. I really should just be honest to him, he already knows, but he never pushes. So many times he could have, but he waits… and each time I don’t say the truth, a little more of that beautiful light fades. I hate that, I hate not telling him, I hate trying to hide it when he obviously knows. All I want is to show him everything. The ship I arrived here in, my powers, all of it… but I don’t, and the wintry day isn’t the only source of ice that I see. 

“Ah, well, maybe you’re just a farm-boy, but you do look like what many might call a perfect male specimen.” I nearly shiver from the ice that creeped back into his voice. I barely feel the winter’s breath, but his voice, chills me to the bones. Another thing for me to hate as he throws the empty to-go coffee cup in the trash, his fluid movements tinged with that ice, defensively like a freshly healed predator back out in the fields, wary of being attacked once more as he walks closer to his car to dust off the snowball.

“Lex, you know what I mean, I don’t see myself as being that good-looking, not like you are.” I freeze, looking at his back to see if he noticed my tiny slip-up or if he will just think it’s what others would say. I kinda hope he notices the slip-up. Maybe even, feel the same? Damn, who am I kidding with that drivel, I lie too often for him to see That as an option. Even our friendship is fading, and he was certain it would never… my fault, it always is. Not like I thought it was my fault that Lana’s parents are dead, I really had nothing to do with that, but this, I could fix things, I just… don’t.

“Everyone already knows I’m good-looking Clark, that’s simple enough for the World to see!” Arrogance, but, is it really when it’s the truth? More defenses it seems, he didn’t or isn’t letting on that he noticed. Damn it, I want to tell him the truth, I’m so damn sick of these lies! I look at my borrowed wristwatch to see that we have a few minutes before that spaceship comes to get us and everything goes black at the touch of a button. I barely see it with my strained heightened sight while I walk over to Lex and lightly grip his shoulder. His sigh tells me just how tired he is, of this ship and of our games and I don’t blame him one bit.

“We’ve two minutes. Any thoughts on what we might do Lex?” I smile apologetically for still not saying anything and he sighs, sitting down on the hood of his car, looking at the sky and then at me before getting that crazy grin before he intends to do something unorthodox, or just as crazy as that grin that plays upon his lips.

“Well, until we find out how to get to the next day, meaning how to solve this loop, you do realize that we have the chance to do anything.” I was about to ask him to specify, only for the light to envelope us and the being to rattle on about something or other that we don’t have a clue about and then the button being hit and the complete blackness taking us, only to wake up in my bed and knowing that dad’s downstairs with a grim look on his face.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*

“Fuck…” I mutter as I throw my royal purple sateen sheets aside and sit up. My hand lightly rubs my hairless head, even after all these years, habits are a bitch to break, especially since I keep hoping for that ridiculous reddish-orange hair of mine to suddenly sprout on my scalp. I dress in a different shirt this time, only I and Clark know that I wore another shirt today, but technically, I never did. I softly scoff at that before heading downstairs, meeting father’s grim face and rushing past him. I grab my keys and slip into my car, breaking a few speed limits because I can and reaching the park. Of course Clark’s there, not even winded from running all the way here. Honestly, if he tries to keep lying, I might just have to push the subject one of these days… after the loop ends I hope.

“Are you sure about, you know, anything?” his grimaces are starting to both annoy and endear me more when it comes to this supposed farm-boy. Enough so that I want to scuff him up-side his head yet give him that smile that he seems to relax from.

“Yeah. Unless one of those things breaks this loop, but if that happens, who knows!” I laugh, simply because I can see quite a few things that I want to do, like humiliate Lana, that bitchy fairy princess that needs to really grow the fuck up. I really hate how she keeps trying to manipulate things when she’s not getting her way and then fawns all over Clark while still saying she’s hung up on that football boy, Whit-something or other and then flirting with me once Clark’s back is turned.  
“So… if I suddenly went and, let’s say, took someone’s wardrobe and hid it under a snow-pile to leave them without clothes, that kind of anything?” I feel as though I almost burst from trying to not laugh, his plan so simple it was nearly poetic to my ears.

“Anything, and I do mean anything, is possible. We could blow up the fertilizer plant after evacuating everyone and it’ll be standing when we next wake up.” His look was priceless, he thought I was insane, yet the idea was obviously tempting to him. “What do you think, good plan or still planning on hiding someone’s clothes?” the moment his eyes met mine and that grin formed, I knew I had him.

By the time it took to get there by car, we had an hour and a half left, I know he could have ran with me there in a mere moment, but he’s still playing by that lie. Too many Secrets, each one just adding to the distance and depth of the gap between us, each bridge straining only to splinter and fail and then rebuilt with even weaker materials. It took another ten minutes to see to getting everyone out with the tiny lie that the reactor that runs the plant was about to blow, a few stragglers needed Clark’s assistance to get out as I set it to rupture, the actual fertilizer was going to help our endeavor because high methane levels means a volatile reaction what heat’s applied. By the time we meet at my car, everyone is scrambling to get as far away yet close enough to watch the plant become beautifully disgusting fireworks. No wonder anyone who knows Clark typically can’t stay angered, his silly smile makes my heart ache to want more, but what more is there when you’re not welcome to get close? I feel like a fucking moth when I’m around him, and every time I get singed due to the secrets he won’t let me know. 

“Wow! Did you see that? Lex?” His boyish excitement stills when he sees my focus on him and not the mayhem we caused. His nervous chuckling draws out that smirk that makes him squirm. He reminds me of the pastry creations made to target people that love cute things, they almost don’t want to ruin it by eating it and then they eat it swiftly so they don’t see how they ruined it. I know that should I ever try to taste him, either I will be lost or he will hate me for ruining him, so I try to not get too close to that damn flame….

“Yeah Clark, come on, we’ve got forty five minutes, where to next before the day resets?” I open the passenger side for him to get in before I get into the driver’s side and speed away before we get caught up by the reporters and everything, including Father’s scowling face. My hands grip the wheel tighter as I look over to Clark, gripping his seat in one hand and the safety handle with the other. I’m sure he hasn’t even noticed what he’s done to either as I slow down. “Well Clark? Were to next?”

“Uh, food? Maybe?” I grin, almost maliciously from the squeak in his voice, nothing can hurt him yet he still feels that sense of fear. I’m tempted to start speeding again just to hear his dismayed cry… but that’s more like what my father would do, something I shouldn’t do. I nod and start the trip back to Smallville, slower now so I have an excuse to peer out from the corner of my eye to see what Clark is doing, mostly fidgeting it seems. Can’t blame him, most people call after me and call me a speed demon. I shouldn’t even have my license anymore, but other than the drive-in with Clark when we first met, I rarely ever have incidents when I drive anymore.

“Anywhere in mind or just the local diner? Because of this time loop, we could go just about anywhere, try anything, well within a half-hour’s time if we knew how to get anywhere fast…” I nearly sigh as he flinches. He knows that I know, why can’t he just tell me? He should know by now that I would never abuse his secret, much less him. Damn that father of his, no matter how much I try to show him that I’m nothing like that bastard whose blood is part of my own, Johnathan only sees Lionel, not me, never me. Martha, she who showed me kindness when I first came here, follows the stupid fool and now Clark is almost not even willing to talk to me!

“I think the Diner’s our best bet for now, I think my gut’s complaining that I didn’t get enough food or something.” With a shrug I just drive to the diner, I don’t even bother with him saying he’d want to pay for half. I have money, I couldn’t give a damn about any of it were it a choice between Clark actually being there for me as I wish to be for him or money. I would always chose Clark. Metahuman, alien, or fallen angel... any or all of them fit Clark, but that doesn’t mean a damn thing to me. Clark is Clark... the one I would even die for if only for him to tell me he accepted me. 

We ate in silence, too much on our minds until I paid the bill and we stepped out of the diner. I look at him with my mouth open, ready to say something… but then the Light and then the darkness, with me waking in my bed with that man I call father downstairs with that grim scowl on his disgusting face and another swear word on my lips...

*+*+*+*+*+*+*

I don’t know why I haven’t bothered talking with my father this entire time, but I do now as this might be the key to us finding out why we’re going through the same day. Mom’s checking on the new calf in the barn so I sit down and look towards my father. “What’s going on? I know you don’t like me hanging out with Lex, but...?” I look at him with expectation, knowing that he’ll fill in the blanks for me after I wait a few moments.

Thankfully I don’t wait long before he spells it all out for me. “Sometime last night, some, aliens took over our broadcasts and here in Smallville, saying something about two lucky people here get to join an intergalactic journey through the stars for at least a earthian week... you and Lex had your pictures appear on the screen as the winners. They said that if you don’t agree that they’ll...” The sigh and with him turning his head away to not look at me was all I needed to know. 

“Dad, how... how do we agree? I mean, what if they don’t really speak English?” as usual I’m clumsy with my words just as I am with dealing with those I care about most. His slight glare tells me right then that he’s about to tell me that I shouldn’t accept, but the look of frustration on my face is enough to give him pause and reconsider.

“I don’t know, I think they assumed that we can understand what they would think would be a customary agreement to them... Clark, you don’t have to go.” His reassuring grip isn’t as assuring as he would have wanted, but my smile helps him know that I get the idea.

“Dad, me and Lex’ll be fine, I mean, it’s just seven days, right?” I grin to cheer him up, knowing that the curve up of his mouth and shake of his head that he was about to let me go, I give him a hug and then hurry to meet Lex. I find him sitting on a dusted off bench, reading the Smallville ledger and sipping that same peppermint cappuccino he got two resets ago. Naturally he appeared a bit annoyed. “Sorry Lex, but I found out why we’ve been resetting, kind of.” Of course Lex is perfectly capable of demanding an explanation while silently sipping on his cappuccino. “Well, it seems that when we were asleep there was an alien broadcast here in Smallville and we were picked for a week-long tour of the galaxy. Seeing as we don’t know how to tell them that we want to go, they... keeps hitting the button which doesn’t explain why we’re resetting...” and my joy of figuring something out just goes out the window as that sentence trails off into the breeze.

“Clark, do you even know who or even what they are?” Okay, so I didn’t know all there was to know, but being snapped at isn’t helping matters. My darkened expression was all it took for him to set down the cup. “Clark, I think we’re both so irritable because we want to end this cycle of repeating days, but when we get close we still aren’t close enough to succeed. So, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“There’s something I should have shown you a long time ago… I was, just scared I guess, but... I need to show you, and now is as good a time as ever Lex...” I could feel the words slipping past my lips, almost wanting to take them back, but no. I’m done playing the same damn run-around just to see Lex being hurt. No matter how often he could have gone out of his way to cut me down with what he gathered, when he strikes, it’s to keep me safe. I know that and it’s time I showed just how much he really means to me. 

“What do you mean Clark?” I could see the hope shying away behind the now common wariness, like a child that has grown too use to not having Christmas with rain hammering the ground angrily, but still hopes to see the colorfully gift-wrapped presents under the glistening tree with snow lazily drifting to the ground instead. I take a quick look around to easily see that no one is around right now before gathering Lex up in my arms as though he was made of the finest glass. The peppermint and coffee on his breath was nothing to the scent of his skin as I hold him close. He smells of clean riverbed clay, cinnamon, and a tiny hint of lavender and mint that is almost non-existent under the spring-water of his bathing products. I move to where the ship is hidden away, but I keep his back to it when I let him recover his footing. I can hear my heartbeat drumming within my ears as the fears try to drown me under but seeing the joyful amazement that practically glows in his liquid sapphire eyes.

“You asked me once if I believed in life on other planets, you had no idea how ironic that question was, even before meeting that being…” I gently turn him around to show him the ship I arrived here in, looking at the side of his face as I take a step back. “...I’m from a planet called Krypton.” I feel dread when he turns around, but as he looks at me, it wasn’t with disgust as I feared, but wonder. He saw me with a look upon his face that shined with honest happiness that I told him the truth. That gently glowing light that I saw fading is now burning like the sun, turning quite a number of old wounds to ashes. Some I know will take time to heal, but I feel as though it’s not as impossible as it seemed not long ago.

“So, how did you get here? I mean, I see the ship but you don’t look like you’d be able to fit anything but a small child in it.” It’s impossible not to think of a blue-eyed cat whenever he becomes this curious, the hair-less ones are kinda cute, but definitely a fluffy pale-furred cat that would willingly poke their head into a paper bag because they want to know what’s inside the bag or to see if they could fit inside.

“I was, about 5, or so I was told, I don’t really remember much of that time. I’ve lived here the rest of my life, thinking I was just weird and that I was a meteor mutant like the others only to find out, I was born on a whole different planet that was destroyed. The ship has a databank with what I guess is the image of my birth father. Maybe we can find out about our possible shipmates from here.” I activate the ship and see the holo-projection of Jor-El, and even now I still don’t like him, I almost doubt that the real Jor-El was anything like this. I know that I won’t be able to learn the truth now, sadly. 

“Kal-El, so good to see you once again. Have you changed your mind? No, by that look I suppose not, such a pity. Who is this that has joined you in meeting me?” Lex seems startled by how dark my glare is as I point it at the hologram. It always asks if I may still change my mind on wanting to protect the world instead of owning it. I think the damn thing is broken somewhere, but I have no idea how to fix it.

“He’s Lex, and it’s Clark, not Kal-El. I need you to look up some alien races and how to agree to something they say, okay?” I felt more then saw Lex moving close and then I saw him pressing down on something inside the ship, Jor-El turned red, like an error in the system occurred. “Lex? What did you do?”

“SYSTEMS ANALYSIS RESTORED, VIRUS DETECTED, SYSTEMS REBOOT UNDERWAY, JOR-EL AI CORRUPT, INITALIZING LARA-EL AI, SYSTEMS ANALYSIS, LARA-EL AI NEGATIVE, PROCEEDING WITH LARA-EL AI UNTIL JOR-EL AI RESTORED.” I grabbed Lex to me, wondering just how this ship will try to harm anyone I care for only to watch the hologram of my birth father being replaced with the image of a woman that was quite beautiful, her eyes and hair match my own far more then Jor-El’s did. I knew that Lara-El was the name of my birth mother, for once I got to see what she looks like, yet even then, she made me think of mom, Martha Kent. My grip on Lex slackened as she looks around then locking her gaze upon me and Lex.

“Kal-El, I’m so glad to see you, I am the remains of Lara-El as she and most kyrptonians died when the planet destroyed itself. You’ve grown so much from the tiny child that she held. How long has it been? Have you been well? Rather, have you grown within a good home? Sorry, I’m supposed to be answering your questions, not the other way around. Of course my activation only happens if the Jor-El AI came upon a systems error or virus. I am at your disposal.” I blink several times, wondering how Lex fixed what I’ve been trying to for the longest time and then if I’m hallucinating.

“Hi, I’m Lex, Kal-El’s, or as he’s called here on earth, Clark’s, friend. Nice to meet you, I’m curious if you know of a race that tends to find ‘winners’ on other planets and then takes them on their ship only for them to hit some weird button when they are do not agree with their, abduction?” Just like Lex to remember why we’re here at the ship in the first place. My dazed gaze turns into a soft smile as Lex takes charge, not that I mind in the least, he’s great when it comes to charisma and charms. 

“Yes, the Shri-Ei-Eeka. They are rather eccentric in their antics, but typically harmless. I may assume that you or perhaps someone dear to you have been chosen? They forget that most races don’t know their own tongue and tend to assume. Rather annoying, yet that was how the original Lara-El and Jor-El met incidentally. The chosen are supposed to say ‘Shreeka-shrew’ or something as close to that as possible. And then when you tilt your head in confusion, that usually leads them to remember to turn on the intergalactic translator.” Her lips curve into an amused smile, yet it matched well with the caring warmth that glowed in her summer-dyed grass green eyes as she waits for any more questions.

“Right, that works, thank you. Oh, and I um, to answer your questions... I’m now about 22, I’ve been great, I have a mom and dad here on earth that could do with some understanding of their own, but overall great parents, I want to protect this world and those that are dear to me upon it. I have some of the best friends you could ask for, like Lex here.” I grin almost like a small child would when they find the best rock in the world and take it home to show their mom only for her to love it and compliment you on finding such a pretty rock. Her warm smile makes me feel even happier than ever, then I notice the mischievous shadow within her gaze, like any mother that knows something their child is missing.

“Clark, we’ve got 20 minutes before show-time, anything you want to do before then?” Lex looks between Lara-El and me wanting to know what’s next before we finally agree to the week-long vacation from earth. My smile shows him that I have plenty of ideas now that he knows the truth about me. Lara-El’s AI just nods and shuts down.

“We could wait until the next reset or so, now that we know what to do. We can go anywhere and do anything until we agree to the trip. I was thinking trying some of the different foods around the world or even catching a show or movie if you want.” I have more ideas, but I wanted Lex to come up with some as well. His grin slips into a small almost guilty frown. “Lex? What’s wrong? I, I didn’t scare you with being an alien, did I?” Now I’m worried about Lex rejecting me and what bonds we have now.

“Uh, I need to show you something... It’s about Lana, she’s not the nice girl you’ve come to know, but I don’t expect you to believe me, so I have to show you… if you’ll let me.” His fear of rejection is almost laughable, I know Lex wouldn’t lie to me, especially not now. I do the only thing that would shatter that fear into dust, I wrap my arms around him and hold him close, he stiffens up before relaxing and hugging me in return and I smell that scent of his and I feel the breath swell within my chest with the words that are too soon to be spoken, but I know, I love Lex.

“Do you think 19 minutes is enough or do you want to wait until next reset?” I almost hope Lex would meet my gaze just to see if his eyes would reflect my own, yet unknowingly nervous about it as well, because I know for certain that should his eyes reflect mine, I would kiss him and then he might become frightened and run… and I would let him.

“You, me, in front of the Talon instead of the park, I would rather take a tiny nap before the reset, it’s a lot to take in Clark, but not that much.” I blink and realize that he was already falling asleep in my arms. My cheek rests against his smooth head, standing there with him softly asleep in my arms until the light… and the darkness.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*

I wake up and smile warmly. He finally trusted me! I can feel my heart racing at the fact that he trusts me and knows that I would never do anything to hurt him, physically I can’t, but I know what I mean. I dress quickly and I slide down the banister of the stairs and take one of my sets of car keys and speed off to meet him at the Talon, I could have asked him to pick me up from my house, but I didn’t want that fool of a man to see how amazing Clark really is. As I pull up, Clark’s waiting there with this big goofy grin… and I just want to kiss him for it. Lightly shaking my head of that thought I get out and we enter the Talon to see Lana behind the counter. I gently point Clark to the sign on the other end of the shop, knowing he could hear me and Lana from where I was going to talk to her.

“Lex! What can I get for you? We have a Peppermint Cappuccino for the holidays if you’re interested. Oh, did you decide on going to the Luthor Corp Christmas Gala?” Her eyes shine with hope for an easy opportunity of rubbing shoulders with some of the bigwigs that would be attending the gala. It still sickens me to no end. I glance over to Clark, seeing his lips turning down to a frown.

“Why not take Clark? He’s on the list of the invited and I have business elsewhere that day, so I won’t be attending. I would like to try one of those Peppermint Cappuccino if you would be so kind.” I lean against the counter and look at Clark trying not to laugh as both he and I would be out in space by the time the Gala on the 20th of December came and went. I could tell that she’s now pissed off because I would not willingly take her and instead choose business over her.

“You know better than that Lex. Clark… He’s sweet, but he’ll make a fool out of himself at the Gala and if he’s my date, he’ll make me look like a fool as well as I try to keep him in line.” I mask my fury at her words, knowing it would look bad for me to suddenly strangle that pompous prissy pink princess pain in my ass who thinks I’m the keys to kingdom. She gets my cappuccino ready and I wave Clark over behind her back. His deepened frown makes me want to shave Lana’s hair off and hope that Clark would smile then.

“Hey Clark, would you go to the Gala with Lana? I’m going to be gone that day so I was wondering if you’re going to the Gala or not?” I raise my brow, trying not to chuckle as I know Clark’s not going to go to some Gala either. I lean on the counter lightly looking at him as he looks back at me.

“Nah, I got other things to do that day, besides... Lana would be mortified if I went with her to some high and mighty place like the Gala.” His laugh makes me join him before we both look at Lana nearly drop the mug, her eyes widen enough that they could have popped out of her head. I know she didn’t want Clark to learn of her ‘holier-than-thou’ opinions. 

“Clark, how did, I mean, of course I would want to go with you to a Gala, I just thought-” his glare was enough to shut her up nice and fast, seems the princess just found out her dress was just some dirty rags and she doesn’t even have a nice personality to erase that. I watch her set down the mug before giving her my darkest smile as I pay for the drink, sipping it as I step back.

“Clark, I’ll be over there when you’re done, okay? We need to plan on what we’re doing the rest of the day.” I sit down at one of the table farthest from them and watch Clark softly chew Lana out for being the bitch she really is and now I know that she won’t be able to convince Clark I’m some evil overlord that is trying to steal her away, I can’t stand her. I’m really glad that the Shree-Ei-Eeka chose Clark instead of her. After a few minutes I watch Clark head over to the table I’m sitting at and plop down in one of the chairs as I finish my coffee. “Feel better? If not, I’m sorry, but I am feeling better. She abuses who she can just so she could climb the social ladder. I’m not sorry I told you, just sorry if you’re upset about it.”

“I’m good Lex, better in fact. Now I know that her sweet persona was just a mask. Sure glad that it was you and not her I got stuck in this time loop and that we’ll barely be home on the 20th, you know?” His small smile and chuckle draws out a relived sigh from my lips. His soft light emerald eyes drop to my lips, as if the smell of the coffee drew him to look there. I wonder if he wants to kiss me as much as I wish to kiss him?

“Clark, let’s, um, let’s head out and talk, ok?” I didn’t want to embarrass him if it turns out he doesn’t want me to kiss him, but I know as soon as we were out of public eye, I’m going to try to kiss him, and I hope to god that he lets me.

“Sure, I mean, yeah, let’s go.” I’m glad I’m not the only one distracted as I place down the mug and we both step outside, the winter’s chill barely even being registered against my skin as I look around to see that we’re almost alone, but not enough, I lead him to more secluded spot and I just look at him, wanting to kiss him, knowing that he trusts me, at least enough to show me what he really is, not that it changes who he is, especially not to me.

“Clark, tell me if I’m going crazy, but, I want to kiss you, but I won’t if you don’t want me to I-” His lips on mine finally stills my rambling words as I kiss back, feeling his hair beneath my fingers, silently asking for him to never stop kissing me, only breaking apart to take a breath and kissing him once more. We both lose track of time, not caring if others see our embrace only to be startled by my watch beeping out the hour. Both our faces flush as we smile at each other, panting as we recover ourselves.

“Lex, I have to be honest here, I… I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you.” His hand rests on the curve of my neck with his thumb gently caressing the curve of my jaw as I lean into his touch. When his thumb caresses the curve of my lower lip, I had to kiss it. My eyes easily reflecting his as the same love he speaks of is the same I feel for him.

“I’ve felt the same way towards you, I just didn’t want to get too close after the fact that you were young and then the secrets. But we got through all that, and I feel so damn lucky.” I cup his neck with my hand and kiss him gently and smile. “What say you to us just agreeing now and enjoying that 7-day vacation in space?” 

“I’d like that, I’d like that a lot.” He smiles and laughs, resting his forehead against mine as we wait until the ship picks us up. We both say the words and tilt our head only for the silly being to act flustered and hit the switch to activate the translator.

“Oh! I forgot that was turned off, welcome to the Su-Florina, sorry for any inconvenience. We’ve been looking for a new Captain and First Mate and on this planet that looked like you two would be best suited for it. We’ve been having some hyper-speed engine troubles, but nothing that would keep you from getting you two home.” The being tried to smile, but it looked like it was trying to hide something, annoying.

“Well, we agreed, so where are we heading?” Clark asks with his boy-scout smile, playing off the being’s nervousness and calming them down. They look rather silly now that I have a clear look of them, in fact they look a lot like a popular yellow rodent… maybe that’s why they’re so, hyper? I shrug and shake my head to not go thinking too much into that.

“Anywhere you so choose, you’re now Captain and First Mate of the Su-Florina. If you want to go home after the earthian week is up, we’ll return you to-” suddenly there was that Klaxon alarm that you often see and hear in Star Trek, glad they got that right. The rodent being looks at the screens and grins nervously as they look back at us “Sirs, I’m sorry to inform you of this, but the Hyper Drive just activated and the course selection was not incorporated. It was something I did not anticipate upon you joining us, I rather expected it to occur sometime later, like close to the end of the 7 earthian days.”

“Well, any idea where we’re heading?” I ask, smirking as this is a bit too much like some of the Star Trek episodes that I would never state I ever watched. I join Clark at a window and watch the stars zooming by, wrapping my arms around his waist and my chin resting on his shoulder. I barely hear what the rodent said as all my focus is on Clark. His soft smile reflecting off the glass as I whisper into his ear. “I thought it was our friendship that would become the stuff of legends, but no, it’ll be our love, and I’ll love you to the ends of the earth and beyond even that.”

END


End file.
